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Poster: clementinescaboose Date: May 19, 2011 10:43pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: This Day In China>Rider History

Well, its a little late, but since no one else mentioned it you can't let today pass by without hearing TDIH 1974.

The whole second set is off the friggin' chain, especially the jams out of Truckin' and the NFA>GDTRFB, but this China Cat gets my vote for best ever:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1974-05-19.sbd.miller.106716.flac16

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Poster: august_wst Date: May 20, 2011 6:05am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

P.S. You should have your son layer this loop over some seastones. you will be invincible!

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Poster: johnnyonthespot Date: May 20, 2011 9:27am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

my favorite China Rider ever as well!

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Poster: AltheaRose Date: May 20, 2011 12:53am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

And possibly the most astounding Donna scream ever -- for which I recently found a new use. Here’s the story. One morning at 5 a.m. about two week ago, I was awakened by a full-blast loudspeaker version of a sweet-sounding little recorded mantra on tape loop. About 30 seconds of saccharine singing. OK, fine. I can deal with it. But then it repeated. And repeated. Over and over and over and over, for a full half hour. It came back the next morning, at 5 a.m. on the dot, for another full-blast half hour. And in the afternoon. And evening. And then again the next day. By the fifth day of what appeared to be some sort of insane tape-loop Hindu version of Amy Grant Goes to Bollywood getting blasted at me and my family at 5 a.m., late afternoon, and again around midnight each day, we were out on the balcony shaking our fists in the air in the general direction of the sweetly madness-inducing sound (a house? A temple? Who knew?) and threatening ... well, I threatened The Interminable Bollywood Mantra with Donna. “I’ll sic a Donna scream on you!” I picked the scream at the end of this Scarlet Begonias – the Smack-You-Against-the-Wall Scream of All Screams starts at about 3:44 on my copy -- and my son put it into Final Cut Pro and made a tape loop of Donna screaming over and over and over. The perpetrators of the 5 a.m. Torture Mantra must have gotten wind of what lay in store, because it disappeared and didn’t come back. But if it does ... we’re ready! It’ll be Donna vs the Torture Mantra, and I’m betting on Donna. (OK, we probably wouldn't really do it, but gosh it made us feel better!) Sorry I can’t post it here, but kiddo didn’t manage to get it OUT of Final Cut and into a form that's openable/playable unless you also have Final Cut. Though I could send it to anyone who happens to have Final Cut and a need for a Donna Scream Tape Loop, LOL.
This post was modified by AltheaRose on 2011-05-20 07:53:38

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Poster: unclejohn52 Date: May 20, 2011 10:59am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

Wonderful tale. Donna screaming out for good purpose...

Tech note: have your son open the original mp3 in Quicktime Pro and trim it, rather than Final Cut. Much quicker, easier editing and exporting to different formats....

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Poster: Skobud Date: May 20, 2011 6:45am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

Classic Donna kill right there. Awesome story Althea.

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Poster: august_wst Date: May 20, 2011 5:01am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

As I have mentioned before on the forum, in the "old days" of managing noise reduction by correctly utilizing Dolby B or C when duping a tape (depending on what the master was recorded with and then going with the other) - he would talk about how he longed for a "Dolby D"... to cancel Donna's screams

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Poster: dark.starz Date: May 20, 2011 6:22pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Where's the love for "The Donna?"

Just the other day a thread was recalling Weather Report Suite and part of what made this a good song beyond the bridge is the chorus of Jerry & Donna answering Bob's "Knowing...", "Flowing...", "Growing..."!

When the framework of the Wall of Sound was set in place at Maples Pavillion February 9th, 1973 due to Bears design there were limited channels and challenged stage monitor placement and location which became more complicated as the system evolved into and throughout 1974.

I believe at many shows Donna simply had a difficult time hearing herself above all the sonic energy on the stage. She cut her teeth at Muscle Shoals and worked with the likes of Elvis and was a professional vocalist.

Granted, these folks had a propensity to party a little and under the right circumstances she was indeed exuberant in her vocal delivery.

Things definitely smoothed out in June 1976 and through her tenure up to late 1978 and early 1979. Perhaps Bear was in many other peoples camps and sabotaged her on purpose, who's to say? Jerry and Bob were definitely sweet on her. Just have a listen to the many fine performances of Looks Like Rain 1976-1978.

Here's to the pioneering women of "Rock n Roll" who had the courage like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald before them to get up on stage and perform.

If it wasn't for Grace and Jorma and that little ditty on the radio in 1967 "White Rabbit" do you think there ever would have been a "Spanish Jam" theme?

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Poster: elbow1126 Date: May 20, 2011 5:06am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

Great Story!

I turn to that Scarlet when i am feeling down. First off, I love the bouncy nature of those '74 Scarlets. Then there is Donna. Such an outrageous sonic display that I don't find it distracting, i actually find it really quite humorous and it always brings a smile to my face. That said, i am pretty sure that hearing what I envision Gaia must sound like during an earthquake over and over on a loop would not be something i would find as comical.

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Poster: bookends Date: May 20, 2011 5:47am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: scarlet wail

thanks for the idea - this would also make a great ringtone...unique enough to cut through the confusion in a crowd, for sure...

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Poster: Tidewater four ten O nine Date: May 20, 2011 6:39am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: scarlet wail

seemed like a good idea at the time:

I used to have the opening minute or so of Zep's "Immigrant Song" in a loop as my ringtone - as you say, it used to stand out in a crowd as well as gaining a few weird looks !!!

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Poster: bluedevil Date: May 20, 2011 11:52am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

We could have gotten Noriega so much quicker...

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Poster: Diamondhead Date: May 20, 2011 12:57pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

LOL! I just snorted diet dr. pepper through my nose.

Maybe Donna kills weeds?

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Poster: clementinescaboose Date: May 20, 2011 4:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

hahaha! amazing, Donna actually has a use ;)

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Poster: yesss! Date: May 20, 2011 11:38am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

one of my favorite shows of all time. i listened to my old maxell tape of "portland '74" so many times back in the day that every single note is permanently etched into my brain. absolutely love it. the obvious highlights are the monster versions of china>rider and truckin', but the whole show is just awesome- even the little ditties that i might skip over on another show ("i don't always listen to BIODTL, but when i do i prefer portland '74"). just a super fun show that i would love to have attended. and, yes, definitely the best pre-retirement china>rider imo.

i actually live in portland and usually attend a decent number of blazers games with my brother and a friend during the season. we often walk right past the memorial coliseum on the way in to the rose garden and my friends, knowing my love of the show that took place there, always have to give me a hard time. "okay everybody, moment of silence for portland '74" or "you sure you don't want to stay here for a little while and, you know, just soak in the vibes?" or "isn't there a plaque here that says: site of the greatest china>rider of all time. may, 19, 1974"... couple of jokers.

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Poster: utopian Date: May 20, 2011 8:42am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

Good call cc.

The gdtrfb is legendary in my book too. In the beginning if the song staccato stopping and starting, then phil drops that minor note.

...

I also really like 8-19-89 especially the rider

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Poster: snow_and_rain Date: May 20, 2011 7:39am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

Awesome show. One of the best of the year. Should be called "This Day in Truckin' History" though.

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Poster: clementinescaboose Date: May 20, 2011 10:23pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: This Day In China>Rider History

good point, i wouldn't argue with anyone who says this Truckin' jam is the highlight of the show...it's an amazing piece of music to say the least, I've never quite heard anything like it anywhere else. I'm just a big China>Rider guy and it's always been the track from this show i play regularly. I also think the 5/17 C>R from two days earlier is just about as good, love Jer's rolling surf chords in that version. and the insane warp speed 5/25 C>R is excellent as well. throw in 5/12, and you've got one great month of this medley!
This post was modified by clementinescaboose on 2011-05-21 05:23:59